Exploring a Representative Model for Associations between Health Dimensions and Home as an Informal Office

Research output: Journal Publications and ReviewsRGC 21 - Publication in refereed journalpeer-review

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Detail(s)

Original languageEnglish
Journal / PublicationCities and Health
Online published5 Dec 2024
Publication statusOnline published - 5 Dec 2024

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic transformed homes into multifunctional spaces, highlighting their readiness to serve as informal workplaces and impacting the health of their inhabitants. Therefore, this study explores how architectural attributes influence self-perceived physical, mental, and social health and examines the mediated relationships among these health dimensions while working from home. Using survey data from 261 participants, we employed multiple regression and Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) analyses to address two key questions: Which combination of health dimensions best explains the work-from-home situation? What housing attributes directly and indirectly foster physical, mental, and social health? Our findings showed the full mediation and sequential precedence of mental health prior to physical and social health in the work-from-home situation, offering the most robust model for linking built environment features to health dimensions. The implications for architectural design and the importance of creating health-supportive environments, primarily through improving indoor environmental quality and sociospatial features, are elaborated in the discussion, providing a detailed analysis of how different features impact health. © 2024 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Research Area(s)

  • Built environment, environmental psychology, health, housing, working from home